SAISD Responds to Controversy Over the Name of Robert E. Lee Middle School

While Selena Quintanilla would be an excellent rename for that junior high, I would argue that leaving Tom Green as the county name in honor of the great Canadian public access television (and later MTV) personality Tom Green would showcase the solid and progressive spirit of San Angeloans.

Regardless of your stance, it's pretty clear which of the two objective statements communicates purpose with clarity.

Mrs/Mr Munguia's would benefit from some rework. Should both petitions be accepted or only one? Is "enough" really "enough"? Very confusing

As a taxpayer, I would like to know the cost of changing the name. Will it affect the school taxes I pay?
(Changing letter head, year books, uniforms, signs, web sites etc.)
In these uncertain times, I wonder if the students will even have a physical place to learn next year.
Schools can be the only safe spaces some children have in their lives. They've also lost the boys and girl club safe spaces during the pandemic.
The voters in San Angelo should be the ones to decide this issue.
Put it on the ballot.

I feel that SAISD has more important things to spend MY tax dollars on.

... about that the Pandemic is still an issue at this time? With all the protesting going on in the country the Covid19 virus is still a huge issue and from what little I could see on news videos ... ect. there wasn't a lot of social distancing going on at these protest ... Peaceful or not! My point is ... so far ...the schools are not open... and lots of people are saying that a second wave of the virus will most likely be worse in the fall going into the winter. So, it seems that wheater or not ... the name of this school is changed or not changed... most likely again ... there will be no classes allowed in any school! Personally, I feel that changing the name of a school or anything else is not going to ... change "People" it's not going to change how people treat others... it's not going to change people's hearts... it's not going to change how blacks feel about whites... it's not going to change how whites feel about blacks ! The person/people need to change their hearts and feelings towards... each other before the past can be forgiven or for people to feel comfortable! To finish... if they put this to a vote by the citizens... wheater the name changes or does not change... if the Pandemic continues for another year and the schools are not allowed to hold classes for who knows how long... there you still be a school building... with a different name... or the same name... "with no students"! Just an "empty building "!

The continuing indoctrination of students. They probably don’t even have a clue who Robert E. Lee is or what his place in history curtailed, but will follow the lead of their parents and teachers.
Soon the chief mascot for Lakeview will be deemed offensive to someone.

I'm sure that SAISD has more important things to spend OUR tax money on.

...I am old fashioned and am more concerned with the education taking place within the walls of these institutions. I want students coming out of these schools knowing how to accomplish a simple math problem, write a paper, read a book, etc. ( which many don't) I am tired of hearing that many ( not all) students have to take remedial classes in college because they didn't learn in the public system. I am tired of hearing that some ( not all) teachers think telling jokes and watching non class oriented movies in class is education. I am tired of hearing that our teachers have little or no authority in their classroom and can be called unacceptable names with out consequences. I am tired of teachers having to buy supplies out of their pocket. I am tired of hearing that counselors and teachers are being told no one fails a grade or class. I am tired that history is being changed to fit the instructor's beliefs. I am tired that we are so fixated on a name that we forget why a well rounded education is important for these young folks. I am tired that to many folks think that by changing a name history will also change...... isn't going to happen History is History. I am tired that the country I grew up in, with morals, ethics, integrity, manners, people who took responsibility for their actions and cared about their fellow citizens is rapidly becoming extinct. I am tired of some parents not parenting and only wanting to be their child's "best friend." I am tired of no boundaries for many kids so, they do what they can get by with doing. I am tired of trying to please everyone and pleasing no one. Stop trying to change history by ignoring it.

I tell people if you are going to change history, then change it to where the south won! I hear people gasp! That is a stupid statement I know, but you cannot change history! People are trying to rewrite history! You LEARN from it and MOVE forward. The taking down of statues and changing the names of schools, bases and street names will not change history! If that happens, then we need to take down every statue, every school name, every base name, every street name, etc and go with very generic names that has nothing to do with history so no one person can be offended! History and politics is not pretty and it is getting ridiculously UGLY! Nobody can have an opinion any longer. What I have read of Robert E. Lee, he was a good man and the Union Generals had a lot of respect for him. He fought the Indians on the Texas Frontier with the Union Generals and soldiers before the Civil War and then became a General for the Confederates. I attended Robert E. Lee Jr. High and was a Rebel and I attended Lake View High School and was a Chief. I do not think they should change either. Neither is derogatory in any manner in my books. I have friends in all colors. I don't understand after all these years why! I really feel like this is all politically driven and I just don't get it. I would have been against slavery back then but don't change it now! LEARN from it! Let's all be mature and move forward!

For those of you that have not had the opportunity to read a non revised or bastardized history book! Copied from a friend!
Regarding changing the name of Lee Middle School... I’m going to post two comments from a historian that has done a lot of research on Robert E Lee and Civil War. This is going to just be some facts ... Information that has been researched by a person qualified to say.

Since the vast, VAST majority of Confederate soldiers did not own slaves, why would they be risking their lives in “the war over slavery”? The answer is that the war was not fought over slavery. It was fought over the South wanting to secede, because of MULTIPLE issues. A non-revised history book can tell you all about it.
Lincoln could have freed all slaves the instant the war began and declared “victory”. Again, a history book can prove that he did not. That’s a strange thing to forget to do, if you’re fighting “to free the slaves”, right? He was the President and could’ve done it at ANY time. What did he do instead? He waited years into the war, after tons of bloodshed, and decided to free the slaves ONLY IN THE SOUTH. And yes, despite the modern misconception, MANY Northerners owned slaves too. Lincoln even owned slaves. Lincoln knew that freeing the southern slaves would give the North an advantage in the war. That, too, is in the non-bastardized history books.
Why are we led to believe now that the Civil War was all about trying to free the slaves? Because it’s a cheap and easy way to demonize and punish the South for the war. It has been “dumbed down” to that singular issue, despite the actual history and facts showing a VERY different reality at that time.
To Southerners, the Confederate flag is a symbol of a different way of life in the south, which most people there love and are very proud of. To them, the flag has NOTHING to do with slavery, just like it had NOTHING to with slavery to the vast majority of Confederate soldiers. It also does NOT mean that you’re “unAmerican” and still want to secede. Think about someone from Texas displaying a Texas flag. It doesn’t mean that they’re not also proud of being an American, just that they’re proud of being an American from Texas. If you’ve never lived or spent much time in the south, there’s no way you’d understand it. Saying that the Confederate flag represents “supporting slavery” is an extremely misinformed stance, but not surprising in this day and age, when EVERYTHING is dumbed down to “RACISM” and actual history is no longer being taught.

 Robert E Lee wasn’t a real big fan of slavery, as they may want to make him out to be. Lincoln originally wanted Lee to lead the Union army. However, being a Virginia man and knowing that he would be attacking the state that he loved, he turned down the offer. His first loyalty was to his home state of Virginia. You can imaging if a Texan was asked today by the US government to lead attacks on Texas, it might play out exactly the same as it did for Lee. He reluctantly had to choose a side and neither option was path he really wanted to take. After the war, the two sides worked hard at putting the pieces back together and healing the wounds of the war. Lee is credited with playing a big role in helping reunite the north and south in the aftermath. He was highly respected by many on both sides before, during and after the war. That’s why he’s still honored today.
People need to learn their history before condemning it. There any MANY extremely valuable lessons that can be learned from it. The sooner we erase and rewrite it all, the sooner we begin making the same exact mistakes and putting up new statues for future generations to misunderstand and hate.

Honoring treacherous dogs is changing history. Any one taking up arms against the United States of America is either a foreign enemy or a traitor. That is the correct history. Keep the name just stop whitewashing history. Hell, even the President hates losers.

The civil war was about slavery, the rights of States to enslave an entire race.

Comments like this is a reason for change...unless it's okay for out children to read and see....is this our society

https://sanangelolive.com/news/outdoors/2019-05-01/tiger-spotted-rio-grande-river#comment-20084.....

Comments like this is a reason for change...unless it's okay for our children to read and see as everyday normal life...

https://sanangelolive.com/news/outdoors/2019-05-01/tiger-spotted-rio-grande-river#comment-20084

Heritage....
https://sanangelolive.com/news/live-thought/2020-06-12/keep-general-lees-name-our-middle-school#comment-24927

"If we rename the schools let’s go ahead and rename MLK street cause I don’t care for what it stands for let’s change Kentucky “Fried Chicken” let’s rename the Watermelon, quit being babies, let’s all grow up and respect each other for who we are."

When are we going to stop people from living in the past? History is what it is, and we should of learned by now from the past. Just like children learning from what they do, fire is hot, falling does hurt and hitting is not good. If we as a community can not look into the future to change things then we have not made any progress at all. trying to change names and remove monuments does not change anything. things should just be left the way they are as reminders of how far we have become. if we agree with everyone to please a group you might as well change all the mascots from the schools as well, Lakeview, Lincoln, cant offend any native american groups now, and some of them were very agrressive nation. Change all the bobcats, bulldogs etc, animals are people to and it appears to be an agressor when it comes to competition. Lets leave it as it was, and try to learn from the past and continue to grow as an community and learn from history

"Lets just love one another and learn to get along". Jeez gimme a break. The war ended 155 years ago. It is us that can't move on, with our tributes to men who chose war instead of democracy. Who chose treachery instead of patriotism. Who chose secession instead of election results. Who chose the right to hold slaves vs. the right to abide by the US Constitution, all men are created equal.....

Keep the name, just teach our kids the correct history, and stop whitewashing the crimes committed by these wretched dogs.